Strollers are widely used to transport infants. A stroller consists of a frame, a seat, four wheel assemblies, and a handle. The front two wheel assemblies typically rotate to enable the stroller to easily change direction and the rear two wheel assemblies are typically fixed to provide straight line stability. The most popular type of stroller contains a tubular frame with a scissor mechanism that enables the stroller to fold (or collapse) when not in use. This type of stroller is commonly known as an umbrella stroller because of the way it folds. Umbrella strollers are sold by many different companies.
A conventional umbrella stroller 100 is shown in two different positions in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the stroller is shown in a partially unfolded position. In FIG. 2, the stroller is shown completely unfolded (its position when used to transport infants). The frame of the stroller includes a front down tube 101, a handle 102, and a rear down tube 103 on each side. A first pivoting connector 104 connects the top of front down tube with the bottom of a handle on each side. A second pivoting connector 105 connects the top of a rear down tube with the handle on each side. The frame also includes a horizontal scissor brace 106 that extends between connectors near the bottom of the front down tube and near the bottom of the rear down tube. The frame further includes a vertical scissor brace 107 that extends between connectors on the rear down tube and on the handle. The two scissor braces provide strength to the frame. They also lock the stroller in the unfolded position and prevent accidental folding when an infant is in the stroller. When the umbrella stroller is folded, the two scissor braces are unlocked, the two sides collapse toward each other, and the handles pivot forward onto the front down tubes.
As mentioned above, the final stage of the unfolding action of a conventional umbrella stroller is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the umbrella stroller is about eighty percent unfolded. At this point, the horizontal scissor brace extends a distance from back to front labeled as “X.” In FIG. 2, the umbrella stroller is completely unfolded. The distance labeled “X” has decreased as the space between the sides has increased.
There are many circumstances when an adult must transport two infants in strollers. However, it is difficult to simultaneously control two separate strollers. Double strollers having two seats are available, but they are large and relatively expensive. Specialized convertible single/twin strollers have also been disclosed. Such strollers are disclosed in Brewington et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,294, Mar. 4, 2003; and Wright, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,405, Jun. 22, 2004. Unfortunately, neither of these two strollers is capable of use with a conventional umbrella stroller.
A variety of coupling devices have been disclosed to connect (or couple) two conventional umbrella strollers side-by-side so that a single person can control both. Coupling devices consisting of arms with connecting brackets on each end are disclosed in Redmond et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,938, Feb. 21, 1989; Fraynd et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,121, Jun. 4, 1996; Aaron et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,892, Jul. 6, 1999; and DeTournay, U.S. Pat. Appln. Publn. No. US2002/0158444, Oct. 31, 2002. These devices suffer from the same shortcomings—the devices have no use when the strollers are folded, the devices have no storage compartments, time-consuming steps must be taken to connect the devices to a stroller, and the devices consist of two or more separate parts that must be used to connect two strollers.
Accordingly, there is a demand for a stroller coupler that is quickly and easily locked into place by the unfolding of the stroller, that has a storage compartment, and that is a single integral unit without parts that can get misplaced or lost, and that can also function as a carrier for two strollers when they are folded.